Las Vegas to Los Angeles 3 – A classical trip in California (with a little of Nevada) that includes Yosemite National Park and Route 1 in addition to Las Vegas, San Francisco and Los Angeles. This trip includes driving the Tioga Pass road in Yosemite that is open for a relatively short period every year (see opening and closure dates here).
Day 1 – Land in Los Angeles and spend a few hours in Venice Beach and Santa Monica
Lodging location: Santa Monica or Venice Beach
Day 2 – Spend the day in Los Angeles or visit Universal Studios
Lodging location: Hollywood or Santa Monica or Venice Beach
Day 3 – Drive north to southern Route 1 and visit sites along the way, 4 hours drive
Lodging location: Morro Bay or Cambria
Day 4 – Drive and travel north along Route 1, 3 hours drive
Lodging location: Monterey
Day 5 – Visit Monterey
Lodging location: Monterey
Day 6 – Visit Monterey’s surroundings (Point Lobus State Park, 17 mile drive etc.), less than 1 hour drive in each direction
Lodging location: Monterey
Day 7 – Drive to San Francisco via the northern portion of Route 1 (through Pacifica, Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz, Capitola etc.) and visit Santa Cruz’s Boardwalk, 3 hours drive
Lodging location: San Francisco
Day 8 – Visit San Francisco
Lodging location: San Francisco
Day 9 – One more day in San Francisco
Lodging location: San Francisco
Day 10 – Drive to Yosemite National Park, 4 hours drive
(on the way you may go on a rafting trip here)
Lodging location: near Yosemite Valley
Day 11 – Travel and hike in Yosemite Valley, short drive
Lodging location: near Yosemite Valley
Day 12 – Visit Glacier Point and Mariposa Grove in south Yosemite, 1.5 hours drive in each direction
Lodging location: near Yosemite Valley
Day 13 – Cross north Yosemite National Park along the scenic Tioga Pass HWY (route 120) and go on short hikes along this route, 3 hours drive
(the Tioga Pass HWY is usually open from the end of May/June until October. See status here)
Lodging location: Mammoth Lakes
Day 14 – Drive east to Las Vegas, 5 hours drive
Lodging location: Las Vegas
Day 15 – Spend the day in Las Vegas
Lodging location: Las Vegas
Day 16 – Enjoy one more day in Las Vegas
Lodging location: Las Vegas
Day 17 – Fly home
– In order to fill this route with content – see our California destinations pages, where you can find articles that include suggestions what to do in various locations along this route.
